The campaign to break up Britain today urged a million Scots to sign a new
declaration of independence but admitted it will not provide any details of
how a separate country would operate.

Speaking at the launch of the ‘Yes Scotland’ campaign in Edinburgh, a series of left-wing politicians and celebrities outlined their hopes that a more “equal society” would emerge if they won the referendum planned for autumn 2014.

They urged people to sign their ‘Yes Declaration’, which states independence would be “fundamentally better for us all” because only then would “Scotland’s future be in Scotland’s hands.”

Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, estimated that a million names would indicate enough support to win the referendum but none of the campaign leaders would provide details of what sort of country the signatories were endorsing.

A senior campaign figure said it is asking people to sign the document without knowing any of the facts about separation because it is focused on winning over “hearts and minds”.

Deep divisions in the campaign means it is not expected to produce a unified prospectus on how an independent Scotland will be run, including details such as whether the Queen will remain head of state and the currency.

The Daily Telegraph disclosed that Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Greens’ co-leader, has accused Mr Salmond of pursuing a “strategy for failure” by promising to keep the monarch and sterling, policies he opposes.

These cracks were papered over at the launch as Mr Salmond and Mr Harvie deliver keynote speeches before becoming the first people to sign the declaration.

Mr Salmond, the Scottish First Minister, told an audience of around 500 Nationalists: “We unite behind a declaration of self-evident truth. The people who live in Scotland are best placed to make the decisions that affect Scotland.

“By the time we enter the referendum campaign in autumn 2014, our intention is to have one million Scots who have signed the independence for Scotland declaration. Friends, if we achieve that, then we shall win an independent Scotland.”

Mr Harvie said he wanted a separate Scotland to build a more “equal society” by increasing taxes on the wealthy and reducing reliance on “finite resources” like North Sea oil.

Among the other speakers were the Hollywood actors Brian Cox and Alan Cumming, who tweeted he is moving back to Scotland before the referendum so he can vote.

Blair Jenkins, the former head of news at BBC Scotland and the campaign’s de facto spokesman, confirmed the campaign is not intending to produce a prospectus for independence.

Asked if the campaign was asking the public to sign the declaration without knowing the facts, he replied: “Well, yeah.” He added: “This is about hearts and minds in a very broad sense and the principle of independence. It’s not about the detail.”

But Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, said: “There was no argument in their launch, no detail about the practicalities of people's lives. What will it mean in terms of jobs, taxes, public services, opportunities?”

The pro-UK campaign, led by Alistair Darling, the former Chancellor, is expected to launch in the next few weeks. He said: “This is about what is best for Scotland, and on all the big questions the Nationalists are unable to provide credible answers.”